Historical Background:Von Manstein ordered on the 12th of December 1942 the "operation Wintergewitter", in order to broke the surrounding of the 6.Armee of General Paulus in Stalingrad. The 4.Panzer Armee under the command of General Hoth had to cross the river Aksaï to go near of the Stalingrad pocket so as the 6.Armee could break through the enemy lines and reach the relief column. The 57.Panzer Korps reached the banks of Aksaï on the 17th of December while Zhukov had launched a new offensive, north of Stalingrad, against the 8th Italian Army. To close this new breach in Axis lines, von Manstein had to withdraw the 6.Panzer Division to General Hoth. Without this division, the rest of 57.Panzer Korps was stopped on the river Mishkova, at that time, the 6.Armee had no more hope to be rescued.The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. the rest is history.